Players who were caught — or even suspected — of using steroids didn’t get much support from Baseball Hall of Fame voters this year. And they likely shouldn’t expect any from Bert Blyleven in the future.
“Guys cheated,” Blyleven said yesterday after his election. “They cheated themselves and their teammates. The game of baseball is to be played clean. I think we went through a steroid era, and I think it’s up to the writers to decide when and who should go in through that era.”
And it doesn’t look like Rafael Palmeiro or Mark McGwire will be among them.
Palmeiro, appearing for the first time, was on just 11 percent of the ballots, while McGwire’s total fell from a year ago, from 23 to 19 percent. Former sluggers Jeff Bagwell (41 percent) and Juan Gonzalez (5 percent), neither of whom would have been automatic Hall of Famers even without suspicions, didn’t fare well, either.
“The writers are saying this was the Steroids Era; like they’ve kind of done for Mark McGwire,” Blyleven said. “They’ve made their point. It doesn’t surprise me.”
Fellow inductee Roberto Alomar didn’t sound as opposed to their possible eventual inclusion in the Hall.
“Rafael and McGwire were two excellent ballplayers,” Alomar said. “I hope one day they can put it behind them.”
That day doesn’t appear to be approaching.
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Alomar had good things to say about Robinson Cano.
“I see him do almost the same things I did on the field,” Alomar said of the Yankees second baseman. “He’s improving every year. I think Cano can be one of the greatest to play in this generation.”